Mechanic's Assistant

A mechanic's assistant supports qualified mechanics in automotive repair and maintenance workshops by preparing vehicles, organising tools and parts, and performing routine tasks under direction. They work in commercial garages, dealerships, or fleet maintenance facilities, assisting with vehicle diagnostics, servicing, and repairs across light and heavy vehicles. The role requires practical mechanical knowledge and the ability to follow safety protocols and technical instructions.

Retrieve and organise tools, diagnostic equipment, and spare parts required for mechanic tasks, maintaining workshop inventory and tool accountability. Assist mechanics in lifting vehicles onto hoists and securing them safely using appropriate equipment and procedures compliant with Safe Work Australia guidelines. Remove and replace vehicle components such as wheels, batteries, belts, filters, and hoses under mechanic supervision. Drain, top up, and dispose of vehicle fluids including engine oil, coolant, and transmission fluid following environmental and workplace safety regulations. Clean vehicle engines, components, and workshop areas using degreasers, pressure washers, and hand tools to prepare surfaces for repair work. Hold, position, and pass tools and parts to mechanics during repair operations, responding to technical instructions and diagrams. Connect and disconnect diagnostic scan tools and test equipment to vehicles, recording fault codes and performance data as directed. Inspect tyres, brakes, batteries, and fluid levels on completed vehicles and document findings on work orders.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education (ABS skill level 5). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The job is physically demanding: heavy lifting, awkward positions under cars, exposure to oils and fumes. Most positions require you to be on your feet all day in garages, and progression to qualified mechanic takes several years of apprenticeship study on top of this work.

In reality, jobs concentrate in metro areas where vehicle volumes are highest. You'll find positions at dealerships, fleet maintenance depots (transport companies, rental car facilities), and independent garages. Regional centres have fewer opportunities. Remote work is not an option in this role.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8999, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Check tickets at venue entrycore
• Clean amusement park facilitiescore
• Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Managementcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Clean toilet facilities
• Digital Literacy
• Goods Receipt Processing
• Incident Reporting
• Multitasking
• Quality Assurance and Checking
• Supplier Communication
• Workflow Prioritisation
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026